A Book by its Cover
by patricia51
Summary: A follow-up to the episode "Ravenous". Remembering a certain female Park Ranger Tony thinks he has dodged a bullet and sits back in delight to see McGee get zinged. But who will have the last laugh?


A Book by Its Cover by patricia51

(The characters are not mine. NCIS is the property of CBS and the brainchild of Donald Bellesario and Don McGill. Remembering a certain female Park Ranger Tony thinks he has dodged a bullet and sits back in delight to see McGee get zinged. But who will have the last laugh? A follow-up to the episode "Ravenous")

"What the hell was that all about?" demanded Special Agent Kate Todd.

"What do you mean?" replied her coworker and verbal sparring partner Tony DiNozzo.

"THAT!" the former Secret Service agent waved her hand towards the door through which the female park ranger was disappearing who had been assisting in their now closed investigation. "I don't doubt that there have been mentally challenged females who have looked deep into your eyes before but I don't think 'I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope one day you will be able to remember the good times instead of the pain' is the usual meaningless fluff I would expect."

"It's too painful. I don't want to talk about it." Tony put on an expression of sorrow and looked at Kate through puppy dog eyes.

"I don't buy that for a moment but we have other things to do right now. Still, one day I'm going to find out what that was all about."

(Several months later on a Friday night)

"I tell you what," Kate admitted with a yawn. "I really hope everyone in the naval Service behaves this weekend. I'm pooped; we're all caught up and maybe it will stay that way."

Tim McGee returned from a visit to the men's room. A suit bag was thrown over his shoulder and he had changed clothes.

"Hey Probie, all dressed up tonight I see. Special meeting of 'Dorks-R-Us' to discuss 'Star Wars' or something over cappuccinos?"

"If you have to know, I have a date tonight. With our running late getting back I asked her if she would meet me here. I just spoke to her and her cab should be here any minute."

"Who's the unlucky girl McGeek? Another technophile armed to the teeth with a slide rule, a pocket protector and a guise as an elf maiden I bet."

"Quite the opposite. She's an outdoor woman. In fact you've met her before. Park Ranger Bobby Hendricks."

Anything more Tim was planning to say was interrupted by Tony suddenly choking and then spraying a mouthful of coffee over the papers on his desk. He hurried to mop the mess up, nodding his head when Kate asked him if he was alright. She then turned her attention back to Tim.

"She seemed really nice. Where are you two going?"

"Out to dinner and then to a concert in the park."

"Well, have a good time," Kate said. Once the junior agent had smiled and gone over to look out the window Kate looked fiercely at Tony.

"Okay DiNozzo. What gives with Bobby Hendricks? I remember that you were all hot and heavy about her and then all of a sudden you were all but running away. What happened?"

Tony tried but failed to repress a shudder. "She put her foot up on something and her pants leg rode up. She wasn't shaving her legs and hadn't for a long time. And she didn't do her armpits either. They looked like a forest."

"So what did you tell her?"

"I explained to her that I was still mourning the loss of my wife who was killed in a pottery wheel accident. I had thought I was getting over it but it had all come flooding back. I was sorry about the flirting and even asking her out but it was all an attempt to compensate for my loss and I just couldn't do it anymore."

"You made up that crazy story just because she doesn't shave?"

"Look who's talking. You were about to go out with a serial killer."

"Never mind him," Kate said rather uncomfortably, "We were talking about you."

"Call it a phobia but I do NOT date hairy women. Now then, I want to settle down and get ready for her arrival. It's a nice warm summer evening. I hope she wears a dress. I can't wait to see McGee's reaction when he realizes she has more hair on her legs than he does."

"You're disgusting Tony. Maybe he knows. Maybe he's more open minded than you are."

"You're grasping at straws Kate," Tony said smugly. He looked at the window. "Ah, his face just lit up. She must have arrived." He did everything but rub his hands together as his face took on a look of evil anticipation.

In a minute the elevator door opened. Tony, and in spite of herself Kate too, leaned forward. A smile brightening his face, Tim hurried across the office to meet his date as Bobby stepped through the open elevator door.

That moment was forever fixed in Kate's mind as a delicious memory. She had never expected to see Tony actually fall out of his chair. But that was exactly what he did. And no wonder.

The Park Ranger uniform had disappeared. In fact the Park Ranger herself had disappeared. Bobby's hair, no longer tucked up, fell in soft waves around her shoulders, framing her pretty face. Taking the place of the slacks, shirt and work boots was a black dress and a pair of matching high heels. The dress rose two inches above her knees and was sleeveless. Both those characteristics proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the long slender legs were as smooth, silky and bare as the areas under her arms.

"Wow, Bobby, you look great!" exclaimed Tim.

"Thanks. You look pretty sharp yourself." She looked around the room, focusing in on Tony staggering to his feet.

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine," replied Kate.

"Hi Kate, nice to see you again."

"You too Bobby. And Tim is right. You look great."

The outdoors girl spun around on her toes. "I do clean up pretty well don't I?"

Kate smiled. "I knew you would. And told you too."

"Oh and it's nice to see you again Toby."

"Tony."

"Really? My mistake. Anyway, are you ready to go Tim? I've been looking forward to this all week. I'm so glad you called and invited me."

"My pleasure," McGee beamed.

Bobby took his arm and whispered loud enough to be heard all over the office. "Oh, I think it won't just be yours alone."

The pair left with Tony's mouth still open. He looked back and forth from the elevator to a Kate whose smirk got bigger with each passing moment.

"You," he croaked. "You set this up!"

Kate shook her head. "Not at all. I just knew something you didn't. I knew that Bobby didn't shave her legs while she was out in the park because she didn't have either the time or the inclination for romance. I also knew that she is just as feminine as any other woman when she has a reason to be."

"How did you know all that?" Tony demanded.

Kate shrugged. "Girl talk. But I didn't have any idea that she and Tim apparently stayed in touch and I was as surprised as you to find out that he had asked her out. I'm glad he did. She's a nice person and they'll have a good time together." She grinned. "But once you started talking and getting all set to have a good laugh at Tim's expense I just had to sit back and watch you. And it was worth it."

Tony jumped from the chair he had reoccupied and rushed to the window. Kate followed him to stand beside him as they watched Tim open the passenger car door for Bobby. Being the gentleman he always was Tim looked away as the lovely park ranger's dress rode up her thighs as she swung her legs into the car. Tony, of course, stared and made little sounds as he contemplated what he had passed up. Kate turned and headed back to her desk and gathered her things. When Tony turned she looked at him.

"I guess that the moral of this story Tony, is 'Don't judge a book by its cover'." She laughed. "Or maybe 'Don't judge legs by the hair on them'."

(The End) 


End file.
